A message from the MGM Negotiating Committee, November 30, 2023:

FACTS from MGM negotiations. 

We’re here to bring you the facts – about what we fought for, what we won, and what we have to build on for the future.

This contract cycle, we picked a huge economic fight.

After two months of negotiations, the employer dug in at $1.80 up front, $3.05 overall, increases to the health care and no 401k additions. Negotiations alone was not enough; we had to take our fight to the streets.

During the strike we picketed, marched, and rallied support across the country.  Because of our toughness, the company moved.

Did we win everything we wanted?  NO.

Did we win more money in the first year of the contract alone than we won in any of our previous five- year contracts?  YES.

Did we secure 5 years of no increases in healthcare contributions?  YES.

Your toughness on the picket lines won those things. And when you voted last week, the majority said it wasn’t enough. So we rolled up our sleeves and fought for more. MGM told us yesterday morning they were at their last, best and final proposal.  But we insisted they keep negotiating and address our issues.

We unanimously proposed they increase the bonus to $3000 and move it to year one, and add another 0.50 cent raise to year two. After a long day, the company rejected our proposal. They made it clear they wouldn’t add any money to what was already on the table. But they would move it around.

We worked to find the best path forward for all workers – and not everyone wants the same things.

We pushed MGM hard and got to the following agreement we call EMPLOYEE CHOICE. 

Any full-time worker not on probation who wants the $2000 bonus moved from year two to right now can do that. (For part-timers, $1000).  

Any full-time worker who wants to hold the $2000 until year two can put it in their 401K and get a 50% match. (For part-timers, they can put $1000 in for the 50% match).

Is it everything everyone wants?  NO.

Is it something everyone can move forward with?  YES.

Did we win the strike?  YES.

Did we set up the pathways to build on our future contract?  YES.

We now have protected our healthcare, won dramatic raises and a bonus, and established a 401K match.

Did we win extra PTO for 20 year employees?  NO, and we wish we had.

Here’s other key things we won:

  • New training program that pays an additional $1 per hour training pay
  • protections from new technology taking our jobs
  • restrictions on housekeeping workload, trashed room language, and safety devices
  • specific department & classification improvements that can be reviewed in the binder prior to voting
  • for new hires working less than 5 years, getting to the 100% rate twice as fast – 2 years instead of 4 years
  • for part timers, we created a pathway to voluntarily sign up for extra work opportunities to build towards full time status

Feeling cross utilized? To be clear, the employer proposed a sweeping cross utilization proposal that we beat back.

Cross utilization is not going into effect.

Within UNITE HERE classifications, part time workers looking for full time hours can VOLUNTARILY sign up for extra shifts. That’s it!

At the end of the day, we chose to stand up and fight in a way we never have before.  We followed through.  And we will never be the same again.

WHEN WE FIGHT – WE WIN.

The MGM Negotiating Committee reached a tentative agreement on the proposal below and unanimously recommends it for ratification:

Below is the MGM Negotiating Committee’s proposal from 11/29/23 that MGM rejected:

Union Proposal (11/29/2023) REJECTED by employer:

DETROIT CASINO COUNCIL AND MGM GRAND DETROIT

Union Proposal
November 29, 2023

  1. Term of the 2023 CBA: Sixty-four (64) months beginning on October 17, 2023 and ending on February 16, 2029 (5 years, 4 months);
  2. Wages and Bonus:

a. Hourly wages shall increase as follows:

  • Upon 2023 Ratification– Three Dollars ($3.00) per hour increase (applied to 100% rate)

***BONUS PROPOSAL REJECTED BY THE COMPANY*** Following ratification, each full-time Employee, including designated full-time seasonal employees, shall be paid a one-time lump sum ratification bonus of $3,000 and each part-time, including designated part-time seasonal employees, or on call, Employee shall be paid a one-time lump sum ratification bonus of $1,500.  Each lump sum ratification bonus payment shall be subject to the following conditions:

    1. To receive payment, the Employee must be employed by the Employer, both prior to October 17, 2023, and at the time of ratification.
    2. The lump sum amounts shall not be rolled into the Employee’s base wage rate.
    3. The lump sum ratification bonus will be payable within two weeks of ratification.
    4. On written request of the Employee, the Employer shall contribute the lump sum payment to the Employee’s 401(k) account to the extent allowed by the Employer’s 401(k) plan and applicable law.

***BONUS PROPOSAL REJECTED BY THE COMPANY***

  • October 17, 2024 – Fifty Cents (0.50¢) per hour increase (applied to 100% rate) *** THIS PROPOSAL ALSO REJECTED BY THE COMPANY***
  • October 17, 2025 – Fifty Cents (0.50¢) per hour increase (applied to 100% rate)
  • October 17, 2026 – Fifty Cents (0.50¢) per hour increase (applied to 100% rate)
  • October 17, 2027 – One Dollar ($1.00) per hour increase (applied to 100% rate)
  1. Wage Progression:

a. New hires may be paid at eighty percent (80%) of the contract hourly rate during their first year of employment; ninety percent (90%) of the contract hourly rate in the second year of employment; and one hundred percent (100%) of the contract hourly rate commencing in the third year of employment.

b. In order to address its recruitment and retention needs, the Employer may, upon written notice to the DCC member Union, accelerate the 80-100% wage progression to any tier of wage progression up to the 100% rate for the following classifications: GRAs/Room Attendants, House Persons, Cocktail Servers, Cooks, Utility Persons, Porters, Dining Room Attendants, Bussers and Restaurant Hostesses. If the Employer elects to accelerate such wage progression, it shall bring all employees then within that classification earning less than the accelerated wage rate to the accelerated wage rate, at a minimum. No employee shall suffer a wage reduction in the event the Employer elects to return to the prior wage progression.

  1. 401(k) Retirement Plan (Article 12):

Effective October 17, 2024, Employees may elect to allocate their fifty cent (0.50¢) wage increase to their 401K plan and employer will match for 12 months, 50% of such deposit in accordance with and to the extent allowed by Employers 401(k) plan and applicable law. In the event such contribution by the Employer is not allowed, the Employer will provide an alternative to make an employee whole for the 50% match.

  1. Health Benefits – (Article 11):

A. Medical Benefit Coverage – Maintain Current Plans/Employee Contributions Per Month through duration of 2023 CBA. Also maintain Article 11 Language on Health Benefits Joint Committee.

B. Dental – Maintain current plan.

C. Vision – Maintain current plan.

  1. Training Pay. Employees who are assigned training duties shall be paid an additional one dollar ($1.00) per hour as stated below:

The Employer intends to establish a certified training program in which Employees will be trained to train other Employees to perform various job functions and, following successful completion of the training program, will be certified as a trainer. Employees who become certified trainers through that program shall be paid an additional one dollar ($1.00) per hour for work time spent training other employees. The Employer will seek volunteers to act as qualified trainers. In the event there are an insufficient number of volunteers, the Employer may assign qualified employees by inverse seniority to participate in the training program.  An employee so assigned to participate in the training program may choose not to participate for a good reason. Until a certified training program is operational, the Employer will first seek volunteers, but if there are no volunteers, may assign training duties to Employees, by inverse seniority, and pay them an additional one ($1.00) dollar per hour for time spent training other employees. An employee so assigned may choose not to participate for a good reason. Once a certified training program is operational, no Employees other than those certified as a trainer by the Employer will be assigned to perform such work. This section shall not apply to Employees who are employed in lead job classifications or to Employees who are just being shadowed by another Employee (i.e., one employee observing another employee perform job functions, without actually performing, or assisting with those job functions).

  1. Additional Holiday: Juneteenth is added as a holiday effective in 2024.
  2. Technology: New job protection provisions apply regarding changes in technology that impact bargaining unit employees. The protections include prior notice to and engagement with the affected DCC member union, as well as training opportunities, enhanced work opportunities, severance pay, and health care continuation in certain situations. See attached Side Letter.
  3. Extra Work Opportunities: This provision applies to UNITEHERE represented employees:In order to accommodate Part-time Employees’ work needs and preferences and provide them with the opportunity to expand their skill sets and to work more hours and/or on more flexible schedules, and with the goal of reducing the need for mandatory overtime and increasing opportunities for Employees to take available paid time off, the parties agree that, no later than ninety (90) days after ratification of this Agreement, the parties will form a committee and meet and develop a pilot program that:Offers interested Part-time Employees the opportunity to be trained at Employer’s expense in several job classifications, within the jurisdiction of UNITEHERE Local 24, through a completely voluntary training program intended to provide those Employees with the opportunity to be trained in multiple job classifications.Nothing in these provisions shall be construed or applied to alter, amend, or conflict with any other provision of the Agreement. In the event of an arguable conflict, ambiguity, or inconsistency, the terms of the Agreement shall prevail.
  4. New Side Letters/Articles: Numerous new agreements were achieved between individual DCC member unions and the MGM Grand Detroit that improve working conditions for specific classifications or provide increased compensation opportunities or reflect other matters agreed upon by the DCC and the MGM Grand Detroit. Those agreements are contained in various Articles and Side Letters that were TA’d by the DCC and the MGM Grand Detroit and are incorporated herein by this reference.
  5. This proposal is not intended to change any provisions that were in the Prior CBA other than as specifically addressed in negotiations. Thus, the provisions of the Prior CBA that are not modified by these negotiations will be incorporated into the 2023 CBA and continue in effect.

The Union reserves the right to add, modify or delete from our proposals until a final and full tentative agreement is reached and ratified.